139 IRCTC

139 IRCTC

Kindly note the Menu of Helpline Number 139

Press 1 for Security & Medical assistance

Press 2 for Enquiry

Sub Menu: information regarding PNR status, arrival / departure of the train, accommodation, fare enquiry, ticket booking, ticket cancellation, wake up alarm facility / destination alert, wheel chair booking, meal booking

Press 3 for Catering complaints

Press 4 for General complaints

Press 5 for Vigilance related complaints

Press 6 for Queries during accident

Press 9 for Status of complaints

Press * for talking to Call Centre Executive

Indian Railway announces integrated Rail Madad Helpline number “139” for all type of queries / complaints / assistance during travel

On an average basis, Rail Madad Helpline 139 receives enquiry 3,44,513 calls & sms per day

Ministry of Railways launches Social Media campaign # One Rail One Help Line 139 to inform and educate the passengers

139 facility available in 12 languages

To overcome the inconvenience over multiple helpline numbers for grievances and enquiry during railway travel, Indian Railway has integrated all railway helplines into single number 139 (Rail Madad Helpline) for quick grievance redressal and enquiry during the journey. As the new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers, it will be easy for the passengers to remember this number and connect with Railways for all their needs during the travel.

Various Railway grievances helplines were discontinued last year. Now, Helpline no. 182 would also be discontinued from 1.4.21, and merged into 139.

The Helpline 139 will be available in twelve languages. Passengers can opt for IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System), or directly connect to call-centre executive by pressing * (asterisk). There is no need of a smart phone to call on 139, thus, providing easy access to all mobile users.

It may be noted that on an average basis 139 helpline receives enquiry 3,44,513 calls / sms per day.

Menu of 139 Helpline (IVRS) is as under:

  • For security & medical assistance, passenger has to press 1, which connects immediately to a call center executive.
  • For enquiry, passenger has to press 2 and in the sub menu, information regarding pnr status, arrival / departure of the train, accommodation, fare enquiry, ticket booking, system ticket cancellation, wake up alarm facility / destination alert, wheel chair booking, meal booking can be obtained.
  • For general complaints, passenger has to press 4
  • For vigilance related complaints, passenger has to press 5
  • For Parcel & goods related queries, passenger has to press 6
  • For IRCTC operated trains queries, passenger has to press 7
  • For status of complaints, passenger has to press 9
  • For talking to call center executive, passenger has to press * ( asterisk)

Ministry of Railways has also launched Social Media campaign #One Rail One Help line 139 to inform and educate the passengers.

Here’s what “139” means in the context of Indian Railways / IRCTC:

📞 What Is 139?

139 is the integrated Rail Madad helpline of Indian Railways, operated via IRCTC. It serves as a single enquiry number for a wide range of travel-related assistance—enquiry, complaints, cancellations, medical help, security, catering issues, and more.

  • Originally introduced in 2007, but in April 2025, it merged several legacy helplines (including 182) into a single number.
  • This service is available via IVR (voice), SMS, and USSD, and supports 12 languages

☎️ IVR Menu: What Each Option Does

When you dial 139, you go through a main menu:

  1. Security & Medical assistance
  2. Enquiry (e.g., PNR status, seat availability, fare enquiry, station codes, food booking, chair, wheelchair booking, destination alert, wake-up alarm)
  3. Catering complaints
  4. General complaints
  5. Vigilance-related complaints
  6. Parcel & goods enquiries or complaints
  7. Queries related to IRCTC‑operated trains
  8. Complaint status
    Press * to speak to a customer service executive.

📱 SMS & USSD Services

You can get key information by SMS to 139. Typical queries:

  • PNR status: Send your 10-digit PNR number.
  • Train location/status: “AD <train‑number> ”
  • Seat availability: “SEAT <train‑number> <from‑STD> <to‑STD> ”
  • Fare enquiry, route, time table, and more. Just send HELP or RAIL for help formats.

USSD works similarly on compatible networks, including Airtel, BSNL, Vodafone, and others

🧾 Stats & Safety Enhancements

  • The 139 helpline handles around 3.4 lakh calls and SMS per day.
  • It is now Truecaller-verified, with a green badge visible on calls and SMS, to avoid fraudulent communication.

✅ Real-World Uses (from user reports)

  • A passenger dialed 139 to report cockroaches in coach, and the issue was resolved in under 10 minutes.
  • Another user dialed for safety/locational assistance and received help during distress.
  • One Reddit discussion confirmed that **NTES/139 shows the immediate running instance of a train—not future schedules.

📝 Summary Table

Feature Details
Helpline Number 139 (Rail Madad)
Available Channels IVR / SMS / USSD
Languages Supported 12 languages
Menu Options Security, Enquiry, Catering, Complaints, Parcel, IRCTC trains, Complaint status
Average Daily Queries ~3.4 lakh calls & SMS
Verified on Truecaller ✅ Yes, for secure communication
Useful For PNR check, train status, cancellations, meal booking, destination alerts, general complaints

🧭 Tip: How to Use

  1. Dial 139 from any mobile or landline.
  2. Select language, then press:
    • 1: Medical/Security
    • 2: General enquiry (PNR, fares, etc.)
    • Other options as per your need.
    • Press * to connect with an agent if IVR doesn’t suffice.
  3. For SMS:
    • Send just your 10-digit PNR for status.
    • Or use the formats like AD, SEAT, FARE, TIME, SPOT, as needed.
  4. Expect a response within a few minutes in most cases.

Let me know if you’d like a sample SMS command, help setting up destination alerts, or understanding complaint escalation options via 139!

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